Ganesh Chaturti

Ganesh Chaturti is the festival of Lord Ganesh. This festival mostly takes place during the month of August-September. During this festival people worship Lord Ganesha. This festival is celebrated in every Hindu household and lasts for either 2, 7,9, 11 or 21 days . A clay idol of Lord Ganesha is brought home. It is then decorated with flowers , jewellry and some paper work.There are special people who make these idols. A wooden frame is also decorated with coloured papers and other decorative articles. This is called as "Makar" in local language. Another wooden frame is hung on top or in front of the makar . Different types of fruits and vegetable are hung on this wooden frame. This is known as "Matoli'.

Clay Idols

Vegetables

Matoli

On the first day , a Hindu priest performs some rituals and offerings are made to the Lord by the people. Religious hymns known as "aartis" are sung , after which lunch is commenced.

Modak	Patoli	Nevryo	Food on banana leaf

During this festival all Hindus eat pure vegetarian food , which excludes the use of onion , garlic, mushrooms and ginger (to name a few). Markets are flooded with different kinds of vegetables, fruits, fireworks, etc. The prices just boom up during this time !! Many sweets are prepared during this festival. Some of them are "nevryos", "modaks", "patoli". Out of these the modak is believed to be the favourite sweet of Lord Ganesha. Food is served on a banana leaf during this occassion. For the lunch one can savour a variety of tasty vegetarian dishes. To name a few are :

Muga gatthi

Papad

Puri

Kheer

Khatkhatem : Different types of vegetables are used for preparing this dish, some of which are shown below.

Mugagatthi: This is prepared from sprouted beans and coconut.

Chana Tondak : Also known as channa masala, it is made of grams and coconut.

Pysam : A sweet dish made of rice, coconut milk or milk and a variety of dry fruits.

Kheer : Again a sweet dish made of vermiceli, coconut milk or milk and a variety of dry fruits.

Puri : Serves the purpose of bread/chapati and is made from wheat flour or all purpose flour(maida).

Varan : Made of gram dal and is eaten along with rice .

Saar: Watery dish made from coconut milk, jaggery and is eaten along with rice.

Patoli : Made from rice flour or semolina(rava) , coconut and jaggery. This is then baked in a turmeric leaf.

Pickle : Spicy mix of vegetable, especially raw mangoes or carrot or mixed vegetables.

Papad : Made of gram flour, chilli , and is either deep fried or roasted.

In addition to these, vegetables such as lady finger, chillies and potato are sliced, dipped into a gram flour paste and deep fried in oil. The result of this is called as "Bhajis" or "Bhajias" in local language.Coconut plays an important role in preparation of most of the food items.

Rangoli(coloured powder)

Rangoli(flower petals)

Apart from food, children enjoy this festival with a lot of firecrackers. People visit their friends/relatives to wish them on this festive occassion. Each household is lighted and decorated with flowers and "Rangoli". Rangoli is the result of art, creativity and patience. It is a traditional Indian art created using various materials such as coloured powders, seeds and grains, flower petals , etc. It is a form of sand painting.




In many places there are huge idols made of Lord Ganesha. These creations are worth watching made by creative and artistic minds. The idols are made from glass, paper, coconut shells, bottle caps, flowers, etc etc...... People flock to get a glimpse of this art. Along with idols various scenaries are also made. These scenaries depict the birth as well as the history of Lord Ganesh.


On the last night of the festival, the idol of Lord Ganesha is immersed into the sea. One can witness long processions during this time. Aartis are sung on the way to the destination. This is the way Ganesh Chaturti is celebrated . There could be some modifications though!! People may enjoy the festival in different ways!





Immersion

Places To Visit In Goa : Beaches

As i have mentioned earlier , Goa is quite famous for its golden beaches.
Being a Goan , let me share with you some information about the beaches in North Goa and South Goa.

North Goa Beaches

Miramar Beach: This beach is nearest to the capital. It is a lovely clean beach with its golden sand attracting a lot of tourists as well as locals. Many tourists gather in the evening to get a glimpse of the beautiful sunset. We can see old and young enjoy the soft touch of the sand. There is a small park sitdown for those who would like to enjoy the cool and fresh air. There are many food stalls available. The most famous and flocked one's are the "bhelpuri" stalls. We all Indians will know very well what bhelpuri is. Buses/rickshaws ply from the city busstand to miramar. Rickshaws may charge Rs 100 or so.....the prices keep on changing!!! If we reach in the evening we may get some fresh fish too !!

From Miramar one can get a glimpse of fort Aguada and the Raj Bhavan(Governor's residence).

Hotels nearby : Foodland, Temptations, Hotel Mariott, Goa International ...to name a few.

Around a kilometer from miramar , there is a park for children with various activities for them. It is a well maintained park with lots of greenary and some good piece of architecture.

Arambol beach: This beach is situated around 50 kms from the capital(Panaji). It has a combination of rocky and sandy ambience. It is a quiet beach....for those who are in search of peace and calm. People can hire a cab/bike to reach this destination. Buses are a bad option though!!
At a walkable distance there is a fresh water lake as well as some sulphur springs close to the sea. There is a spectacular banyan tree adjoining to which is a stone sculpture created by an American Conceptual Jacek Tylicki. This particular sculpture is also known as the "Money Stone".

Chapora & Vagator beach: These beaches are surrounded by coconut groves. There are among the most beautiful beaches in Goa. The old Portuguese Chapora fort stands on a hill , overlooking the tiny Chapora village.Vagator beach is around 22 kms from Panaji.From the beach you can see a 500 years old Portuguese fort.If you are an art lover then this is the right place for you. You could also taste Goan delicacies like bebinca,dodol at some outlets here.

Anjuna Beach : This beach is a major hub for foreign as well as local tourists. The soft silver sands attracts everyone. Anjuna is well known for its "Flea Market" which is held every Wednesday. You could pick up trinklets, get a tattoo done, buy some materials with heavy embroidery / mirror work done or just hang around and enjoy the colourful and entertaining atmosphere.



Calangute and Baga : Like the Anjuna beach , these beaches are also a major hub for tourists. There are a lot of shacks, shops, There is a tidy fish market at Calangute which is worth a visit.
Cabs are easily available at almost all the beaches. So transport is not at all a problem!!

Sinquerim and Candolim Beach:Sinquerim is located around 13 kms from Panaji. It is a stunningly beautiful and calm beach.A lot of hotels are present nearby.There are a lot of buses that play from Mapusa to Calangute and Sinquerim.You could also visit Fort Aguada which is nearby!!
If you are tired of crowded beaches then Candolim beach is the best for you. If you want to experience some fishing activity then you could try your hand at this place. Some hotels near the beach offer yoga and meditation session in order to provide you with a sense of relief from stress and fatigue.

Dona Paula Beach : This is a quiet beach with lot of palm plantations. It is a popular picnic spot with some beach resorts and beach cottages available. One could take a ferry from here to Vasco-da-Gama , just for a ride through the splendid waters. You could even visit the Dona Paula jetty which is worth a visit. There are many water sport activities available at the jetty.

Vainguinim Beach: This is a neat and tidy stretch of silver sands with a crystal blue bay!It is very close to the Miramar and Dona Paula beach. It is surrounded by a lot of greenary. You could spot many species of birds near the plantations. This place has also proved to be trekker's delight. Star resorts are also available as means of accomodation.

So thats about the North Goa beaches! All beaches are well connected , so there is no need to worry! All you have to do is visit the beaches........ and I am sure that you would want to visit them again and again!!

In the month of August there is a special festival celebrated by the Hindus , known as Ganesh Chaturti. Ganesh Chaturti is a the festival of Lord Ganesha, the Lord of Success. So before we move on to the South Goa beaches, I would like to share with you the way this festival is celebrated in Goa. The sweets prepared , the way the idol is decorated, the music played, etc etc....... So hope to see you tommorrow !! have aGood Day :)

An Introduction to Goa

Goa is a small and beautiful state of India. It is situated along the west coast of India, with its neighbours as Maharashtra(to the north) and Karnataka(south). Being recognised as an international tourist spot, it attracts tourists from the entire globe. Goa was a Portuguese colony and was liberated on 19th December 1961. The capital of Goa ia Panaji. The mothertongue of goans is kokni(also pronounced and written as konkani). Goa has a mix of natural as well cultural heritage. Before I move on let me share with you the historical knowledge about Goa.

According to History :

The precise origin of the name "Goa" is still unclear.But still ,we all goans are happy with the name Goa :) . According to ancient literature Goa was known by many names such as Gomanta, Gomanchala, Gopakapattam, Govem, Gomantak, Govapuri, Gomanchala and Gopakapuri. The history of Goa stretches back to the third century and was ruled by several dynasties . To name a few were the Kadambas, Bhojas, Chutus, Adil Shahis,etc.

Vasco-Da-Gama was a Portuguese explorer who sailed from Lisbon to India . Thus came in the Portuguese. Goa was ruled by them till 1961. There is a city in Goa called as "Vasco-da-Gama"(often called as Vasco) named after the explorer Vasco-da-Gama .

This is a very very brief history of Goa. If i start writing the entire history........it will be never ending . I will prefer to tell you about the present Goa, which may be of more help to you...in case you are planning a visit here!! :)

Goa is divided into 2 zones : North Goa and South Goa.
Apart from Konkni, other languages spoken are English, Hindi, Marathi and Portuguese.
There is nothing such as "the best time" to visit Goa. Since the weather is pleasant throughout the year, one can see tourists flocking to Goa all the year round.

But if you ask me , I would suggest people to visit Goa anytime from August to March.

Goa being situated along the coast has a number of beautiful beaches. All the places in Goa are well connected. Various modes of transport are also easily available. In addition to the beaches, Goa is known for its churches,temples and above all for its modest and loving people.

Being a Portuguese colony, one can find a lot of Portuguese architechture in Goa.

Now let us talk about Goan food. Goan food is relished by many many people. If you visit Goa you have to taste "Fish". Fish curry and Rice is quite famous and is the staple food of Goans. "Riz et Poisson" in French.

Let me help you to decide on what to order, if you go to any restaurant in Goa:
1. Fish curry Rice
Fish curry is made of coconut and fish (the main ingredients)
2. Recheado Mackrel(Spicy)
Recheado is a result of many spices. Mackrel , which is a type of fish is stuffed with recheado masala(masala is a paste of spices,ginger,garlic,corriander) and is later wrapped in a banana leaf and is cooked on coals.
3. Butter-Garlic Crabs(Non-Spicy)
4. Prawn Balchao(Spicy)

For NON-SPICE eaters there is a variety of baked,roasted,fried fish available too.

Bebinca

Dodol

Among traditional Desserts i can name a few
1. Bebinca
2.Dodol

Both are very very tasty.
There are many other cuisines available in Goa such as Chinese,Thai,Indian,etc. If you are visiting a beach then do not forget to visit the shacks present on some beaches. You can get a variety of fish. If your lucky enough you could even watch fishermen collect their "catch of the day". Mostly in the morning & evenings fishermen get a good catch.

Apart from non-veg dishes , there are a lot of traditional vegetarian delicacies. You could savour them only in very few restaurants. But if you have a Goan friend then, it woul be much more easier. :)

There are a lot of tourist spots about which i have to share with you all. Apart from tourist spots there are other places too which are worth a visit...........including some good restaurants for food lovers like me!!! Whatever i have written about Goa , hope it helps to brief you about the state.

Right now its 2.00 PM here and its lunch time for me!!! So see you all soon to read my next blog about Places in Goa To Visit!!. Do write to me if you have any suggestions!!! Mail me at knowgoa@gmail.com............ Help Me To Help You :)